Super Bowl 2022: After the Tampa Bay Buccaneers dominated the Kansas City Chiefs 31-9 in Super Bowl LV, and managed to keep their entire core of starters together in free agency, it looks like the Bucs have a legitimate chance to repeat.

Who will comprise the 14 NFL playoff teams once the 2021 season is finished? Who will be the Super Bowl 2022 winner in the next calendar year? Check out Sportsnaut’s predictions, which will be updated each week during the regular season based on the latest standings.

NFL
Predicting NFL potential free-agent QBs' next contracts -- and where they might land

Predicting Super Bowl 2022 winner, playoff team

AFC West champions: Kansas City Chiefs (8-4)

The Kansas City Chiefs are being carried by their defense right now. It’s a sentence no one would believe a few weeks ago, but the stats say it all. Opponents are averaging just 13.7 points per game against Kansas City since Oct. 17 and it shouldn’t surprise anyone this team is 6-1 during that stretch.

There are still some challenges left on the Chiefs’ schedule and the AFC West could be decided on Dec. 16 at SoFi Stadium against the Los Angeles Chargers. But with the Raiders tumbling down the standings and the Chargers not quite ready to take control of this division, the door is open for Mahomes and the Chiefs to control their destiny. While not the Super Bowl 2022 favorites, this version of the Chiefs can compete with anyone in the AFC.

AFC North champions: Baltimore Ravens (8-4)

Every team in the AFC North is above the .500 mark. It’s a remarkable feat this late in the 2021 NFL season, but also speaks to the volatility of this division. It’s going to come down to the final weeks, with injuries playing a huge part in the NFL playoff projections.